William e



(No Mode'l.)

W. R. DUTB'MPLE. INITIAL' FINGER RING.

Patented May 15,.

Fl IIE. Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

- -`wILLIAM It. vDU'rEMILE, or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

INITIAL FINGER-RING.

SPECIFICATION forming para of Letters Patent No. 382,758, dated Ivray 1s, Issa.

i Application tiled November 15, 1887. Serial No. 255.183. (No model.) f l To all whom it may concern/.f

Be it knownv that I, WILLIAM R.'DUTEM PLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inInitial Finger- Rings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference -being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or iigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to fingerrings, lace' pins, or other analogous articles of jewelry adapted to receive and retain interchange# able settings. i 'f In the class of jewelry referred to it is very desirable that the means for securing the removable front in position be so constructed and arranged as to admit of a ready removal of the front when desired, and also possessing equal facility for its attachment. Another essential requisite in the construction is that the fastening combines safety with strength. Heretofore, in articles of jewelry possessing, this feature of interchangeability, it has been usual to secure the front portion to the base or permanenteholder by one or more pins, keys, or screws. I Such an arrangement obviously necessitates a special tool or instrument for their insertion and removal. The, pins, moreover,when removed are easily lost, owing to their small size,this being particularly true with reference to finger-rings.

The' object of my present invention is to overcome the disadvantages above mentioned. To that end I provide the base portion of the article of jewelry with a hook adapted to engage an eye or staple formed on the under side of the removable front, the staple passing through an opening formed in the base for the purpose. A spring, engaging the hook, serves to lock the parts together in use, all as will be morel fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, I have represented my improvement as applied to a finger-ring, although it is equally appli cable to other articles of jewelry.

Figure 1 represents, enlarged, a perspective -resp'onding'to the unlocked position.

view of a iingerring provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan andedge view of the removable front adapted to carry an initial or other characteror gem, as desired, and having an eye. orV staple firmly secured to itsv under face. Fig. 3 represents both plan and sectional views of the shell which forms the stationary or permanent base, the same being 0f usual form and construction except the opening formed therein through which the staple loosely passes. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a platein which the hook is mounted and adapted tov vibrate, thesame corresponding to thelocked position. Fig. 5` is a similarvew showing the hook thrown rearwardly and corisa transverse sectional view taken on line w wof Fig. 4. Fig. 7 represents plan and sectional views of an apertured plate, Abetween which and the under side ofthe shell the hook-carrying plate is mounted. Fig. 8 representssimilar views ofy the apertured backplate, Athe same being adapted to be soldered to the said shell. Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the center of the ring and showing the arrangement of the several parts. Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view, inverted, taken through w w of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the removable front portion, having another form of setting in lieu of the initial shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 12 represents a pin or piece of wire adapted to be employed in operating the hook.

A more detailed description of the invention is as follows:

A, Fig. 1, indicates aliinger-ring complete, provided with a removable or interchangeable front or plate adaptedlto vcarry an initial, as t', or any other usual setting.

a designates a metallic front or plate having a staple or eye, a', secured toits under side at or near its center. To the face or top of said Fig. 6 I

plate the initial z', or any other character or ICC rim and upper and lower recesses, b. ?,fre-

spectively, separated by the web b4, the latter having a suitably-arranged opening,b8, therein,

adapted to freely receive the staple a. The upper recess, b', is substantially the same in area as the plate a. Its depth is greater, however, from the fact that the face of the initialV and the corresponding edge 'of the rim are preferably level, thereby adapting them to be lapped more readily.

c designates a plate adapted to fit into the lower recess,b2,and bear against the under side of the web b4. This plate c is provided with an enlarged central opening, c', terminating near one edge in the round hole c2, in which the latch or hook Z is fitted to vibrate. An extension, e, projects from one side of the hook. Its end e is bent or formed at an angle so as to enter and engage the staple a. (See Fig. 4.) A notch, a, is cut in the edge of the latch Z, into which the free end s of a suitably-retained spring, s, engages. The thickness of the spring and latch is somewhat less than that of the plate c, in which they are mounted. A small hole, h, is made in the outer portion of the latch.

d indicates the lower plate, having a central hole, m, therein, adapted to be secured in the lower recess, b2, and beneath the latchplate c.

f indicates the bottom or cap plate,which is soldered to and forms the under side of the front b.' This latter plate is made somewhat convex, and is adapted to be secured to the band u of the ring, as usual. A central hole, m, is also formed in the cap-plate. The completed head or front, having the several parts before described, is indicated by t.

From the foregoing it is evident that by passing the point of a pin, z, through the openings m and into the hole h of the latch, the latter may be vibrated in the proper di` rection a short distance, thereby withdrawing the end e thereof from the staple a and permitting the front plate a to be removed, the latch then being as shown in Fig. 5. This action also forces the spring from the notch a.

plate may be secured to the ring by simply .passing the staple through the opening b3,

followed by pushing the latch into engagement therewith, the end of the spring at the same time `automatically engaging the notch a, thereby locking the latch in position and preventing the front a from being `accidentally detached.

I claim as my invention- 1. A finger-ring or other article of jewelry hereinbefore described, having a removable front portion provided with an eye or staple, and a hook or latch permanently mounted in the fixed apertured front or head, arranged to engage said removable front portion, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a finger-ring,the combination,withan apertured front or head having a pivoted latch or hook mounted therein, and a spring arranged to hold the latch in a fixed position, of a removable front portion having an initial or other setting secured thereto, and having an eye or staple secured to its under side adapted to receive the free end ofsaid hook.

3. The combination, in a finger-ring, with the apertured front or head having a springholding latch arranged to vibrate therein, of the removable front portion a, having a staple secured to its under side arranged to pass through an opening, b3, formed in the head to receive the end of said latch, and au opening formed in the back of the head through which the latch may be operated, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WVM. It. DUTEM PLE.

Vitnesses:

GHARLEs HANNIGAN, JOHN T. HENTHORN. 

